Catherine O'hara Facts For Kids

Catherine O'Hara is a funny Canadian actress and comedian who made families laugh for over 50 years with her silly voices and clever jokes in movies and TV shows.

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About this topic

Catherine O'Hara was a talented actress, comedian, and writer from Canada. Born on March 4, 1954, in Toronto, she brought laughter and joy to people around the world for more than 50 years. With her funny faces, silly voices, and clever jokes, she starred in movies, TV shows, and cartoons that families love.

She won big awards like two Emmy Awards—that's like getting gold stars for the best TV writing and acting. Catherine also earned a Golden Globe and other honors. Her movies made billions of dollars and touched millions of hearts. In 2017, Canada gave her a special title, Officer of the Order of Canada, for her amazing work.

Catherine's career showed how one person's creativity can brighten lives everywhere.

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Quick Facts

🎂Catherine O'Hara was born on March 4, 1954.

📺She started her comedy career on Second City Television from 1976 to 1984.

🏆Catherine O'Hara won a Primetime Emmy Award for her work on SCTV.

🐛She played the funny mom Delia Deetz in the movie Beetlejuice in 1988.

🏠Catherine O'Hara starred as Kate McCallister in Home Alone in 1990 and its 1992 sequel.

👑She voiced the spooky Sally in The Nightmare Before Christmas in 1993.

Key Points

Catherine O'Hara grew up in a big, happy family in Toronto, Ontario.

Catherine began her career doing sketch comedy—that's short, funny skits—and improvisational comedy, where performers make up jokes on the spot.

Catherine shone in many hit movies.

Catherine O'Hara became a huge star playing Moira Rose in the funny TV show Schitt's Creek.

Catherine O'Hara has won many shiny awards for her amazing acting and writing.

Photos of Catherine O'hara

Image by Jerry Avenaim at English Wikipedia, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0

O'Hara in May 2005

O'Hara in a promotional image for SCTV Network 90 in 1981

Image by Tabercil, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0

O'Hara's star on Canada's Walk of Fame

📘 Growing Up In Toronto

Catherine O'Hara grew up in a big, happy family in Toronto, Ontario. She was born on March 4, 1954, as the sixth of seven children. Her parents, Margaret and Marcus, came from Irish roots, and the family followed the Catholic faith. She even had a sister, Mary Margaret, who became a musician and actress too.

As a kid, Catherine loved making people laugh. She went to Burnhamthorpe Collegiate Institute and graduated in 1974. Growing up in a lively home probably helped her learn how to act silly and tell stories. This fun childhood set her on the path to comedy.

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🔎 Her Big Start On Sctv

Catherine began her career doing sketch comedy—that's short, funny skits—and improvisational comedy, where performers make up jokes on the spot. In 1974, she joined The Second City, a famous comedy group in Toronto.

Soon, she moved to their touring show in Chicago and even filled in for comedian Gilda Radner. In 1976, she became a star on SCTV, a hilarious TV show full of pretend news, ads, and movie spoofs. Catherine played many wild characters and helped write the scripts. For her great writing, she won a Primetime Emmy Award.

She took short breaks from SCTV but always came back, staying until 1984. This show was her breakthrough, launching her into the spotlight.

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🧭 Famous Movies

Catherine shone in many hit movies. In 1988, she played spooky mom Delia Deetz in Beetlejuice, a funny film about ghosts and a striped-suited monster. Two years later, in 1990, she was busy mom Kate McCallister in Home Alone, chasing her mischievous son Kevin. She returned as Kate in Home Alone 2: Lost in New York in 1992.

She lent her voice to Sally and Shock in the creepy-cool The Nightmare Before Christmas in 1993. Catherine teamed up with director Christopher Guest for mockumentaries like Waiting for Guffman (1996), Best in Show (2000), and A Mighty Wind (2003), pretending to be quirky characters at dog shows and music festivals.

Later, she voiced fun roles in animated movies like Over the Hedge (2006), Elemental (2023), and The Wild Robot (2024), plus reprised Delia in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024).

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💡 Schitt's Creek And Other Tv Roles

Catherine O'Hara became a huge star playing Moira Rose in the funny TV show *Schitt's Creek*. From 2015 to 2020, she acted alongside Eugene Levy, who played her husband. Moira is a glamorous mom who moves to a tiny town called Schitt's Creek with her family. Catherine made Moira's wild outfits and dramatic voice so memorable that fans loved every episode!

She also starred as the sneaky Dr. Georgina Orwell in *A Series of Unfortunate Events* in 2017. Plus, she appeared in the special movie *Temple Grandin* in 2010, earning a big nomination. In 2025, Catherine had exciting roles in *The Studio* and a guest spot in *The Last of Us*, getting more nominations for her great acting.

These shows show how Catherine shines in comedy and drama alike.

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🌟 Awards And Honors

Catherine O'Hara has won many shiny awards for her amazing acting and writing. Early in her career, she earned a Primetime Emmy Award for writing funny sketches on *SCTV*. She has picked up two Emmy Awards overall, plus a Golden Globe Award and two Screen Actors Guild Awards.

Her role in *Schitt's Creek* brought even more honors. In the final season, she swept top prizes like the Emmy, Golden Globe, SAG, Critics’ Choice, and TCA awards. She also won six Canadian Screen Awards for that show.

In 2017, Canada made her an Officer of the Order of Canada for her talents. These awards celebrate how Catherine brings joy and laughter to audiences everywhere.

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🧠 Take the Quiz about Catherine O'hara

Question 1 of 5

Where was Catherine O'Hara born?

Question 2 of 5

How many children were in Catherine O'Hara's family, including herself?

Question 3 of 5

What was Catherine O'Hara's big breakthrough TV show?

Question 4 of 5

In which movie did Catherine O'Hara play the busy mom Kate McCallister?

Question 5 of 5

Why did Catherine O'Hara receive the Officer of the Order of Canada in 2017?

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Answer all 5 questions to see how you did.

Frequently asked questions

Where and when was Catherine O'Hara born?

Catherine O'Hara was born on March 4, 1954, in Toronto, Canada. She grew up in a big, happy family there as the sixth of seven children.

What funny show did Catherine O'Hara start her career on?

Catherine O'Hara became a star on SCTV, a hilarious TV show full of pretend news, ads, and movie spoofs. She played many wild characters and helped write the scripts, winning a Primetime Emmy Award for her writing.

What is one famous movie where Catherine O'Hara played a mom?

In Home Alone from 1990, Catherine O'Hara played busy mom Kate McCallister chasing her mischievous son Kevin. She came back as Kate in Home Alone 2: Lost in New York in 1992.

Who did Catherine O'Hara play in Schitt's Creek?

Catherine O'Hara played glamorous mom Moira Rose in the funny TV show Schitt's Creek from 2015 to 2020. Moira moves to a tiny town with her family and has wild outfits and a dramatic voice that fans love.

What big awards has Catherine O'Hara won?

Catherine O'Hara has won two Emmy Awards, a Golden Globe Award, and two Screen Actors Guild Awards. For Schitt's Creek, she swept top prizes like the Emmy, Golden Globe, and others in the final season.

What special honor did Canada give Catherine O'Hara?

In 2017, Canada made Catherine O'Hara an Officer of the Order of Canada for her amazing work. This special title celebrates how she brings joy and laughter to people everywhere.